Organ-swell.



R. HOPE-JONES.

ORGAN SWELL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1912.

Patented May 2'?, 1913.

ATTDRNEYS MSM@ . UNTED STATES ATENT GFFIQE.

ROBERT HOPE-JONES, OF NORTH TONAVTANDA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE RU- DOLPH WURLITZER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NORTE- TONAVVANDA, NEW

YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW' YORK.

ORGAN-SWELL.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 27,1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Bonner Horn-JONES, a subject of the King of England, residing at- North Tonawanda, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Organ-Swells, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to organ swells in which the shutters are actuated by motors under the control of the performer, and more particularly by electro-pneumatic motors.

The object of my invention is to combine with the customary swell pedal a switch-device for controlling such motors, in order to facilitate the operation and control of the shutters.

ln the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional elevation of an organ embodying the invention, showing the position of the parts when one of the toe portions of the pedal-switch is depressed. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section of the electro-pneumatic brake cooperating with the shutter-operating motor, showing the brake applied. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of said brake in the same position. Fig. L1 is a transverse section on line 4 1, Fig. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the pedal, showing the switch in its normal or open position.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

1 indicates one of the swell-pedals of the organ preferably pivoted to rock in a vertical plane in the usual manner; 2 one of the swell-boxes having the customary pivoted shutters 3; 11- the actuating arms of the shutters, and 5 the link connect-ing the several arms. ln the construction shown in the drawings, the pedal is connected with the link 5 by the usual pedal-arm 6, a link 7 and a bell crank 8.

The shutters 3 are actuated by a suitable motor, preferably of the electro-pneumatic t-ype and constructed as follows:

9, 10 indicate a pair of oppositely and alternately-acting motor-pneumatics secured to opposite sides of a pressure or wind chest 11 and having the arms 12 of their movable boards connected with the link 7 by short links 13, so that the alternate inflation of said pneumatics causes the swell-shutters to be opened and closed. Each of these pneumatics connects by a channel 14 with a vertical port 15 which opens at its lower end into the atmosphere and atits upper end into the main pressure chamber 16 of the wind chest which has the pressure inlet 17 connected with a source of compressed air not shown in the drawings. r:the upper and lower ends of each port 15 are controlled by pressure and exhaust valves 18, 19 both mounted on a stem 20. The latter is connected to the vertically-movable lower board of a pneumatic 21 located in the wind chest and which when collapsed by the pressure (see right hand pneumatic) opens the pressure valve 18 and closes the exhaust valve 19, thereby admitting pressure to the corresponding motor pneumatic 9 or 10 and operating the swell-shutters accordingly. Each of these valve operating pneuinatics is connected by a channel 22 with a valve chamber 23 which communicates constantly with the wind chestI by a pressure port 24 and with the'atmosphere by an exhaust port controlled by a valve 26. The valves 26 constitute or are carried by armatures which coperate with electro-magnets 27, 28. When either of these magnets is energized, it attracts the corresponding valve 26, opening the exhaust port 25 and closing the pressure port 241, whereupon the corresponding valve operating pneumatic 21 is collapsed by the wind-chest pressure and the air is exhausted from said pneumatic through the channel 22 and port 25. llhen the magnet is deenergized, the wind-chest pressure moves the valve away from the magnet, opening the pressure port 24e and closing the exhaust port 25. Pressure is now admitted to the corresponding valve-operating pneumatic 21, inllating the latter, and reversing the valves 18, 19 to the position in which the air is exhausted from the corresponding motor pneumatic 9 or 10.

The magnets 27, 28 are included in separate electric circuits controlled by a footswitch which is combined with the pedal 1. ln the preferred construction sho-wn in the drawings, the switch comprises a rocking metallic foot-plate 29 overlying the pedal and mounted upon the pedal-pivot by means of a lug or lugs 30 extending through and opening in the pedal. Opposite ends of this toot plate coperate with insulated contacts 3l, 32 arranged on the upper side of the pedal on the front and rear sides of the pedal-pivot. The toe and heel portions of the switch plate 29 are connected by conductors 33, 34 with one pole of a battery 35 or other source of electrical energy. One end of each of the magnets 27, 28 is connected with the other pole of the battery by a conductor 36, while the other ends of the inagnets are connected by conductors 37, 38 with the pedal contacts 31, 32 respectively.

It will now be understood thatl when the performer depresses the front or toe portion of the switch plate 29, as shown in Fig. 1, the electro-magnet 28 is switched into the battery circuit and energized, while the magnet 27 is cut out, thereby admitting pressure to the right hand motor 10, eX- panding the saine and opening the swell shutters, as hereinbetore described. lVhen the switch plate is rocked in the opposite direction so as to touch the contact 32, the magnet 28 is cut out and the magnet 27 is switched into the battery circuit, thus admitting pressure to the motor 9 and closing the shutters. While the motors 9 and 10 tend to fully open or fully close the shutters, the pedal and its coperating switch give the organist complete control over the shutters so that they may be partly opened or closed to obtain the desired eti'ects. To partly open them, the player momentarily depresses the toe-portion of the switch plate to bring the shutter-opening motor 10 into action, and then by rocking the switch plate in the opposite direction, the shutter-closing motor 9 comes into action and opposes the motor 10, preventing the latter from fully opening the shutters. In a similar manner, the closing movement ot the shutters may be controlled.

In order to prevent overthrow or excessive movement of the shutters by the motor pneumatics, a brake is preferably employed which promptly arrests the movement of the shutters when either of the magnet circuits is broken. This brake may be constructed as follows: 39 indicates a pair of brake shoes acting against opposite sides of the link 7 or equivalent member of the shutter-operating mechanism and hinged at their inner ends to a wind chest 40 or other support, as shown at 41. These shoes are normally retracted, to release said link, by a suitable spring 42 and are applied by a pair of motor pneumatics 43, the movable boards of which carry lugs 44 which bear against the backs of the brake slices, so that they are forced against the link 7 by the inflation of said pneumatics. The latter are connected by ducts 45 with a common channel 46 leading to a valve chamber 47 which communicates with the atmosphere by a port 48 and with the pressure chamber of the chest 40 by a port 49. These ports are controlled by a double-faced valve 50 which when in the lowered position shown in Fig. 2 admits pressure to the brake-pneumatics 43 and causes them to apply the brake shoes, while when the valve is in its raised position, as shown in Fig. 1, it allows the air to eX- haust from the said pneumatics, permitting the spring 42 to withdraw the brake-shoes. The valve 50 is raised by a pair of alternately-acting pneumatics 5l, 52 arranged within the wind chest 40 and having their movable boards suitably connected with the stem of the valve. Each of these valve-operating pneumatics is connected by a channel 53 with a valve chamber 54 which communicates constantly with the wind chest 40 by a pressure port 55 and with the atmosphere by an exhaust port 56 controlled by a valve 57. The valves 57 are in the form of armatures which coperate with electromagnets 58, 59. The operation of this electro-pneumatic action is the same as that of the motor pneumatics 9, 10, except that when one of the magnet circuits of the brake-mechanism is closed, the valve 50 connects the brake-shoe pneumatics 43 with the atmosphere and cuts them otl' from the wind chest 40, as shown in Fig. l, permitting the spring 42 to withdraw the brake shoes and release the link 7 and the shutters connected therewith. Then one of said magnet circuits is open, the valve 50 is lowered to the position shown in Fig. 2, by the pressure in the wind chest, thus connecting the brakeshoe pneumatics with the wind chest 40 and applying the brakes.

The brake-controlling magnets 58, 59 are connected with the circuits of the motorinagnets 27, 28, by conductors 60, 6l, and 62, so that the brake-circuit is closed simultaneously with the shutter-operating circuits upon rocking the pedal switch 29 in either direction,

Then the switch plate 29 is parallel with the pedal, it clears both pedal contacts 31 and 32, as shown in Fig. 5, rendering both shutter-operating motors inactive and leaving the brakes applied. The plate 29 is yieldingly held in such normal or inoperative position by springs or elastic stops 63 interposed between the plate and the pedal on opposite sides of the switch-plate pivotand preferably consisting of rubber blocks or buttons, as shown.

Normally the several circuits are open and the valve 50 is in its lowered position. Under normal conditions with pressure in ,the brake wind-chest 40 and the pedal switch released, the brake pneu-matics 43 are inflated and the brake shoes are applied. Upon closing either of the shutter operating circuits by the rocking of the pedal switch, the brake circuit is also closed, thus detlatin-g the pneumatics 43, withdrawing the brake shoes and permitting the shutter operating pneumatics 9, l0 to actuate the shut-ters without restraint.

l do not wish to be limited to the particular construction and arrangement ot the parts and circuits herein shown and described, as they are obviously susceptible of change and modification within the scope ot' the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. The combination ot the swell shutters, a pedal, means connecting the pedal and shutters whereby motion is transmitted from one to the other, a motor for operating the shutters, and means mounted on the pedal for cont-rolling said motor.

2. The combination of the swell-shutters, a pedal, means connecting the pedal and shutters whereby motion is transmitted from one to the other, a motor for operating the shutters, a brake for arresting the movement of the shutters, and means mounted on said pedal tor controlling said motor and said brake.

3. The combination of the swell-shutters, a pedal, means connecting the pedal and shutters whereby motion is transmitted from one to the other, an electro-pneumatic motor :tor operating the shutters, and an electric switch mounted on said pedal and controlling said motor.

4. The combination of the swell shutters, a pedal, means connecting the pedal and shutters whereby motion is transmitted from one to the other, an electro-pneumatic motor for operating the shutters, an electro-pneumatic brake for arresting the movement of the shutters, and an electric switch mounted on said pedal and controlling said motor and said brake.

5. The combination of the swell shutters, a pedal, means connecting` the pedal and shutters whereby motion is transmitted Jfrom o-ne to the other, a motor for operating the shutters, and a toot plate carried by the pedal and movable relatively thereto for controlling said motor.

6. The combination ot the swell shutters, a pedal, means connecting the pedal and shutters whereby motion is transmitted from one to the other, oppositely-acting motors for operating the shutters, a rocking toot plate pvoted to said pedal and overlying the same, and means intermediate said tootplate and said motors for alternately bringing the motors into action by the rocking movement of the plate.

.7. The combination ot the swell shutters, a pedal, means connecting the pedal and shutters whereby motion is t-ransmitted from one to the other, electrically-controlled motors :tor moving the shutters in opposite directions, separate electric circuits including the respective motors, contacts mounted on the pedal and each forming a terminal of one of said circuits, and a switch-plate arranged on the upper side ot said pedal and cooperating with said contacts.

S. The combination of the swell shutters, a pedal, means connecting the pedal and shutters whereby motion is transmitted from one to the other, electrically-controlled motors for moving the shutters in opposite directions, separate electric circuits including the respective motors, contacts mounted on the pedal on the front and rear sides of its pivot, each of said contacts forming a terminal of one of said circuits, and a rocking switch-plate overlying said pedal and cooperating with said contacts.

9. The combination ot' the swell shutters, a pedal, means connect-ing the pedal and shutters whereby motion is transmitted from one to the other, electrically-controlled motors for moving the shutters in opposite direct-ions, electric circuits including the re spective motors, an electrically-controlled brake also included in said circuits for arresting movement of the shutters when said motors are inactive, contacts mounted on said pedal and forming terminals ot said circuits, and a switch plate overlying said pedal and cooperating with said contacts.

l0. The combination of the swell shutters, a pedal, means connecting the pedal and shutters whereby motion is transmitted from one to the other, a motor :tor operating the shutters, a rocking foot-plate arranged on the upper side of the pedal and controlling said motor, and yielding stops interposed between said plate and the pedal.

ll. The combination of the swell shutters, a pedal, means connecting the pedal and shutters whereby motion is transmitted from one to the other, an electrically controlled motor for operating the shutters, separate electric circuits including said motor, contacts mounted on the pedal and each torming a terminal of one of said circuits, a rocling switch plate overlying said pedal and cooperating with said contacts, and stopsprings interposed between the end portions of said switch-plate and the pedal.

lli/witness my hand this 20th day ot March, 1912.

ROBERT HGPE-JGNES.

lVitnesses W. L. lVooDIN, R. B. MURPHY.

copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

